About the Art

by Sheila Sondik

I have always found artistic inspiration in the landscape. The way nature arranges infinite complexity into harmonious compositions speaks to me of peace, transcendence, and mystery. This body of work, created between 2000 and 2007, reflects my admiration for Chinese literati painting and my longtime Asian calligraphy practice. I begin by briefly soaking masa, a lightly stiffened Japanese paper, in water, crushing it into a ball, then gently laying it flat. Diluted sumi ink brushed over the damp paper creates unpredictable textures. In the early stages, I often feel as if the paintings paint themselves. I may repeat this process of crinkling and painting many times before I mount the paper and paint more deliberately, sometimes adding watercolor. I am honored to have my artwork in conversation with the poetry of Haiku Northwest.